Illuminating device

Abstract

An illuminating device to be used in association with an instrument to facilitate reading indicia thereon in low light/dark conditions. The device can be attached to a single instrument or a combination of consolidated instruments gauges. The illuminating device is normally attached to an associated instrument in a generally overlying relationship to the instrument face. The illuminating device can be used with different sources of illumination.

I claim: 
     
       1. A device for illuminating the face of an instrument to facilitate reading indicia thereon particularly under water comprising a frame, said frame being defined by a peripheral border having an interior peripheral surface setting-off a through opening of a size and configuration of an associated instrument face, means for securing said frame to the exterior of an associated instrument with said opening in generally overlying relationship to an associated instrument face, said frame having upper and lower surfaces bridged by said interior peripheral surface, said border including opposite peripheral border portions, each border portion having an upper edge portion defined by the merging of said upper surface with said interior peripheral surface and a lower edge portion defined by the merging of said lower surface with said interior peripheral surface, said border upper edge portions being spaced from each other a distance less than the distance between said border lower edge portion, at least one of said border portions having a pair of axially spaced generally aligned bores adapted to receive therein illuminescent material, the interior peripheral surface of said one border portions merges with and spans the distance between said aligned bores, and said at least one border portion border lower edge portion is spaced outboard of the radially innermost point of each of said bores thereby defining an illuminescence confining and directing chamber adapted to direct illumination downwardly relative to said upper surface and inwardly relative to said opening. 
     
     
       2. The illuminating device as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said bores is a blind bore and one of said bores is a through bore. 
     
     
       3. The illuminating device as defined in claim 1 wherein another of said border portions has a pair of axially spaced generally aligned bores adapted to receive therein illuminescent material, the interior peripheral surface of said another border portion merges with and spans the distance between said last-mentioned aligned bores, and said another border portion border lower edge portion is spaced outboard of the radially innermost point of each of said last-mentioned bores thereby defining another illuminescence confining and directing chamber adapted to direct illumination downwardly relative to said upper surface and inwardly relative to said opening and said first-mentioned illuminescence confining and directing chambers. 
     
     
       4. The illuminating device as defined in claim 1 including means for locating said frame opening in aligned relationship to an associated instrument face. 
     
     
       5. The illuminating device as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means includes a flexible strap. 
     
     
       6. The illuminating device as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame lower surface includes means for locating said frame opening in aligned relationship to an associated instrument face. 
     
     
       7. The illuminating device as defined in claim 3 wherein said last-mentioned pair of bores include a blind bore and a through bore. 
     
     
       8. The illuminating device as defined in claim 8 wherein each pair of bores include a blind bore and a through bore. 
     
     
       9. The illuminating device as defined in claim 8 including means for locating said frame opening in aligned relationship to an associated instrument face. 
     
     
       10. The combination of an instrument and an illuminating device therefore comprising an instrument having a face of a predetermined size and shape, said face having indicia thereon adapted to be viewed under low light/dark conditions, said predetermined size including at least one predetermined dimension; a device for illuminating said face and the indicia thereon, said illuminating device including a frame, said frame being defined by a peripheral border having an interior peripheral surface setting-off a through opening of a size and configuration corresponding generally to the size and configuration of said instrument face, means for securing said frame to an exterior of said instrument with said opening in generally overlying relationship to said instrument face, said frame having upper and lower surfaces bridged by said interior peripheral surface, said border including opposite border portions, each border portion having an upper edge portion defined by the merging of said upper surface with said interior peripheral surface and a lower edge portion defined by the merging of said lower surface with said interior peripheral surface, said border upper edge portions being spaced from each other a distance less than the distance between said border lower edge portions, said border lower edge portions being spaced from each other a distance generally corresponding to said face predetermined dimension, at least one of said border portions having a pair of axially spaced generally aligned bores adapted to receive therein illuminescent material, the interior peripheral surface of said one border portion merges with and spans the distance between said aligned bores, and said at least one border portion border lower edge portion is spaced outboard of the radially innermost point of each of said bores thereby defining an illuminescence confining and directing chamber adapted to direct illumination downwardly relative to said upper surface and inwardly relative to said openings toward said face and the indicia thereon. 
     
     
       11. The combination as defined in claim 10 wherein one of said bores is a blind bore and one of said bores is a through bore. 
     
     
       12. The combination as defined in claim 10 wherein another of said border portions has a pair of axially spaced generally aligned bores adapted to receive therein illuminescent material, the interior peripheral surface of said another border portion merges with and spans the distance between said last-mentioned aligned bores, and said another border portion border lower edge portion is spaced outboard of the radially innermost point of each of said last-mentioned bores thereby defining another illuminescence confining and directing chamber adapted to direct illumination downwardly relative to said upper surface and inwardly relative to said opening and said first-mentioned illuminescence confining and directing chambers. 
     
     
       13. The combination as defined in claim 10 including means for locating said frame opening in aligned relationship to said instrument face. 
     
     
       14. The combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said securing means includes a flexible strap. 
     
     
       15. The combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said frame lower surface includes means cooperative with said instrument for locating said frame opening in aligned relationship to said instrument face. 
     
     
       16. The combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said border lower edge portions distance is greater than said face predetermined dimension. 
     
     
       17. The combinations as defined in claim 10 including a housing receiving said instrument, an opening in said housing in generally aligned relationship with said frame opening, and said securing means also secures said frame to said housing. 
     
     
       18. The combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said last-mentioned pair of bores include a blind bore and a through bore. 
     
     
       19. The combination as defined in claim 12 wherein each pair of bores include a blind bore and a through bore. 
     
     
       20. The combination as defined in claim 19 including means for locating said frame opening in aligned relationship to said instrument face. 
     
     
       21. The combination as defined in claim 20 wherein said opening and said instrument face are generally of a polygonal configuration. 
     
     
       22. The combination as defined in claim 20 wherein said instrument face and said opening are generally of a circular configuration.